Get ready to head to your local Jeep dealership with a down payment in hand or a trade-in ready. According to the current rumors, the upcoming 2022 Grand Cherokee is going to resemble the recently released 2021 Grand Cherokee L. This will mark the first redesign of the Grand Cherokee since this current generation first hit the market back in 2011. While we don’t have much info on the new 2022 model, we can tell you all about the 2021 Grand Cherokee L, which has set the stage for this upcoming redesign. We’ve also got some rumors about the new Grand Cherokee’s design, along with confirmed information to get you hyped for this upcoming release.
How Did the Grand Cherokee Come Into the Picture?
Before we get into its style changes, it’s important that we understand the Grand Cherokee’s origin. Just like the Wrangler, the Grand Cherokee was designed to be rough and tough. So tough, in fact, that it quite literally made its debut by busting through the glass. During the 1992 Detroit Auto Show, the first-ever Grand Cherokee crashed through the convention center’s windows to prove its indestructibility. Well, of course, it’s not entirely indestructible, but busting through giant glass windows with ease is definitely an accomplishment.
The main reason that the Grand Cherokee came into play was because of the Cherokee’s major success. This smaller SUV did great, but Jeep needed to create something larger. Rather than coming up with an entirely new name, they simply created a bigger version of the Cherokee, adding in special perks that the Cherokee didn’t offer, including airbags! Oddly enough, the Grand Cherokee was the first SUV on the market to include side airbags. Maybe this was because of its ability to fly through glass-windowed buildings, but regardless of reason, this landmark is something to be proud of.
As years went by, the Grand Cherokee became more and more powerful. By 2013, the model produced up to 470 horses with its V8 engine, and Jeep even introduced the SRT trim, which was designed specifically for speed. Even more impressive, in 2018, Jeep released the Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, which is said to be “the most powerful production SUV on the planet.” This is a truth that’s easy to see in the Trackhawk’s specs, as this model produces up to 707 horses and uses the same supercharged V8 engine as the Dodge Challenger and the Charger Hellcat.
Now, the Jeep Grand Cherokee has years of diversity and innovation under its belt. As its performance specs and engine options continue to improve, what we’re currently focused on is its design changes. Thanks to some major 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee redesign rumors, and the 2021 Grand Cherokee L’s new look, there’s a lot to discuss regarding the Grand Cherokee’s new style.
The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L
The original 1990’s first-generation Grand Cherokee started out with a square body style. Over the years, it morphed, becoming more and more rounded throughout each generation. By the time we got to 2018, the Grand Cherokee had gained that classic rounded SUV style that’s so popular in modern times. However, the Jeep Grand Cherokee L has brought the tougher square look back, paying homage to the Grand Cherokee’s roots.
However, the new look doesn’t take it a step back by any means. The 2021 Grand Cherokee L’s grille looks similar to the original Grand Cherokee in style. However, this new design includes more details and an elongated front end for added definition. In addition to its classic look, it comes with some fun modern style additions. These include a black painted roof option which is available no matter what exterior paint color you choose. Additionally, each of the five different trims comes with different wheel styles and sizes. For example, the base Laredo trim includes 18-inch painted aluminum wheels, why the later Overland trim comes with 20-inch polished wheels.
When you opt for the Summit Reserve package, you get 21-inchers that were inspired by the original Willys Jeep’s wheels. Again, this is just another one of Jeep’s low-key easter eggs that you may not initially notice. One other special feature like this is the Grand Cherokee L’s ignition trim. Yeah, we don’t have key ignitions anymore, but the Grand Cherokee L’s push-button start is enclosed with a silver surround keyring, just like the original Grand Cherokee’s key ignition had.
Another change made to the Grand Cherokee is its new LED lighting. This includes its headlights, taillights, and even fog lamps. The coolest part about the 2021 Grand Cherokee L’s lighting is that you can add on illuminated door handles and additional interior lighting customizations. And no, we don’t just mean regular white lighting. These are ambient LED multi-colored lights that fill the Jeeps’ interior. Overall, the new Grand Cherokee style is far better than any version before it, and the new design is more similar to Jeep’s original look.
How About The Interior?
Sources claim that the new 2022 Grand Cherokee’s interior is going to be the same as or at least similar to the 2021 Grand Cherokee L’s. A quick way to explain this is that if you’ve ever wanted a luxury model Jeep, this one’s going to be for you. First off, the Grand Cherokee L offers three different interior cab configurations. These include a 6-seater option, a 6-seater with a center console, and a 7-seater. The console option is technically a double console, adding an additional storage console to the second row. The 2022 Grand Cherokee will only have two rows, but we can expect comfortable seating for four or five passengers.
Think this isn’t fancy enough on its own? This model also includes leather seating with front massage seats. These seats are made with memory foam, and they offer 16-way adjustability. But the best part about the 2021 Grand Cherokee L’s interior is it offers up to 84.6 cubic feet of cargo space. When the third row is down, you’ll get 46.9 cubic feet, and you will have 17.2 cubic feet with all rows up. It looks like the 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee will also have plenty of interior seating options, as the 2021 Grand Cherokee L offers multiple cloth and leather interior colors. Like most modern models, the Grand Cherokee L comes with navigation, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and much more. This model is leading us into the lap of luxury that the 2022 Grand Cherokee will provide.
Confirmed Info and Speculation
There are a few major things that Jeep has confirmed about the 2022 Grand Cherokee. First off, there will be a hybrid 4xe trim. This new option started with the Wrangler, and we know already that the Wrangler 4xe can get up to 49 MPGe with its hybrid setup, which is good news for the Grand Cherokee 4xe variant. Further, we also know that the 2022 Grand Cherokee will offer a premium McIntosh sound system, just like the Grand Cherokee L.
Everything else is purely speculation. One difference we expect to see between the 2021 Grand Cherokee L and the 2022 Grand Cherokee lies in the grille. It’s rumored that the new Grand Cherokee has a different grille design than the L has, falling more in line with previous Grand Cherokee trims. Nonetheless, it’s still expected to pay homage to the original Grand Cherokee’s design. Overall, the 2021 Grand Cherokee L definitely gives us an idea of the luxury that is to come with the new 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
